Since the late 1970s when Plymouth re-purposed Harry Nilsson's "Me and My Arrow" for use in a car commercial, Nilsson's songs have been used in a number of commercials. Here we list the ten best uses of Nilsson songs in commercials.
Top Ten Best Uses of Harry Nilsson Songs in Commercials
Number 10 |
In the late 1970s, Plymouth used Nilsson's "Me and My Arrow" in commercials for their Arrow automobile (a rebranded Mitsubishi Celeste).
Plymouth Arrow Commercial
Number 9 |
Harry Nilsson's recording of "Everybody's Talkin'" was used in a 2007 commercial for Digital UK. The commercial features an animated robot character named "Digit Al," and was created to raise awareness of the UK's switch to digital broadcast TV.
Digital Switchover Commercial
Number 8 |
A 2004 commercial for Nike Tennis starred Serena Williams and featured Shelley Duvall's performance of "He Needs Me" from the Popeye movie.
Nike - Tennis Instructor Commercial
Number 7 |
Shaquille O'Neal appears in "Wish," a commercial for The General insurance. It is one of many examples of Nilsson's "Best Friend" accompanying a montage.
"Wish"
Number 6 |
Coca-Cola launched its new Coke with Lime with a 30-second television spot called "Coke, You Nut" which debuted during the March 7, 2005, broadcast of "American Idol" on Fox. The ad was voted "Best of the Month" for March, 2005, by Adweek.
The ad shows a Coca-Cola scientist inventing Coca-Cola with Lime. The researcher holds up a can of the soda as Harry Nilsson's song "Coconut" begins playing. The scene switches to a board room at Coca-Cola. A company official sings "Now, let me get this straight?" then turns to the board of directors and sings "You put the lime in the Coke, you nut, and you drink it all up ..."
"Coke, You Nut" Commercial
Number 5 |
"Lipton Helps Kermit" is a 2014 commercial for Lipton tea. It features Kermit the Frog and other Muppets characters. Nilsson's recording of "Everybody's Talkin'" is heard in the commercial.
"Lipton Helps Kermit"
Number 4 |
The trailer for Sony's 2021 movie Venom: Let There Be Carnage (aka: "Venom 2") includes Harry Nilsson's performance of his song "One."
Venom: Let There Be Carnage Trailer
Number 3 |
Harry Nilsson's "Best Friend" is used in a 2002 public service TV ad produced by the National Fatherhood Initiative in cooperation with the Ad Council and volunteer work by the Campbell-Ewald ad agency.
The commercial shows Godzilla playing with his son Godzuki (from the 1967 film Son of Godzilla while Nilsson's song plays. The PSA concludes with the tagline, "It takes a man to be a dad."
"Big Daddy" PSA
Number 2 |
Harry Nilsson's "Best Friend" was used in a national commercial for the Dungeon Siege III video game.
Dungeon Siege III Commercial
In the commercial, Nilsson's song "Best Friend," plays as two teens, brandishing medieval swords, hunt down orcs.
The spot aired on G4, Spike TV, Cartoon Network, FX and other networks.
Number 1 |
During the Superbowl broadcast in 2016, Heinz aired a commercial featuring Harry Nilsson’s performance of “Without You.”
In 2019, Steve Johnson of the Chicago Tribune picked "Wiener Stampede" as one of the "5 Greatest Super Bowl Commercials of Modern Times."
"Weiner Stampede"
